Alabama

NASCAR auto racing driver Tony Stewart reads a statement during a news conference at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Friday, Aug. 29, 2014. Stewart says the death of Kevin Ward Jr. will "affect my life forever" as he returned to the track for the first time since his car struck and killed the fellow driver during a sprint-car race in New York. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
(John Bazemore)

For nearly three weeks, Tony Stewart has been in seclusion - out of respect for the family of Kevin Ward, Jr., and for himself.

On Friday, speaking for the first time since his car struck and killed Ward during an Aug. 9 sprint-car race in upstate New York, said his fellow driver's death was "one of the toughest tragedies I've ever had to deal with both professionally and personally. This is something that will definitely affect my life.

"This is a sadness and a pain that I hope no one has to experience in their life," he said, reading from a written statement at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. "That being said, I know that the pain and the mourning that Kevin Ward's family and friends are experiencing is something that I can't possibly imagine."

"I miss my team, my teammates and I miss being back in the race car," he said. "I think being back in the car this week with my racing family will help me get through this difficult time."

NASCAR president Mike Helton said the organization had been in constant contact with the Stewart-Haas Racing team and relied on outside experts to determine when Stewart could return to racing. Asked if those experts included persons able to provide psychological evaluations, Helton simply said NASCAR received input "relevant to these circumstances."

Stewart has been granted a waiver allowing him to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship if he wins in either Atlanta or Richmond, sites of the final two events before the championship series.

The driver acknowledged that the media had questions, but he didn't take any, Stewart said, because the investigation into the incident was still ongoing.

"Emotionally, I'm not sure I could answer them anyway," he said.

No evidence of criminal intent has been discovered, Ontario County Sheriff Philip Povero has been reported as saying. Stewart has not been charged.